Apparatus for the control of highway crossing signals



c. F. LOWER 2,439,013

APPAATUS FOR THE CONTROL OF HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGALS.

April 6, 1948.

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Patented Apr. 6, 1948 .APPARATUS FOR THE .CONTRGL 0F HIGHWAY CROSSING ,SIGNALS Carl Lower, Edgewood, Ta., Aassigner Vto The 'Union Switch &.1Signal fvompany, 'Swissvale Pa., a. ,-corporationof Pennsylvania Original application "Decemher.,.15, 1,954.4, .Serial` No. 568,288, `now Patent ZNo."2,406 ,955, dated September 3, 213946. Divided and-this applica,- HtionMarch 12, 1946, Serial No. 653;'128

a claims (c1. 24e-130) My invention relates to apparatus for the kcon- .trol oi highway .crossing signalsandzmme par-.- ,ticularly to apparatus orvcontrolii-ng operation 4of the highway crossing :signaifn accordance fwith the speed of thetrain.

The present application vis` a diwisionofsmyucopending application :Serial iNo. .f5i68;288,:1ediD.e Vcember 15, .1944, forApparat-us tor ftheoontnol vof 'highway crossing signals, now .Patent .No 2,406,955, .dated September 11946.

A highway .crossing :.sigrsial V,inenuentlyacm1- tnoiled Athrough atimesmeasuring means #which is governedby the Vtrack `circuit @nana-ch time measuring-fseotion. "Thecontrol oi-the signal is such that operation `.ofithezsignnliis.delimited when the time measuring meansfhasibeenwoperfated for .its pmedeterminndinterval indicating .the trein `speed to be dess than `the prieselected value.

According-1y, auieature of my inventionis the provision of novel and Yirl-lpiioved apparatus .for control of highway .crossing signals according to the speedof the train. v A

An additional feature @f myinslention istiie provision of novel and improved apparatus oon-- `trollen by "a wtrain :as it travels thronehtwo or more consecutive track sections in f-thefapprcach of va `lfiighwznr crossing to `initiatethe operation of a highway cnossing lsignal .the train sxceeds the limit-,fof speedpreselected forfeachtsection. i

other features, .objects and adnantages foffmy invention will :appear as the specification progresses.

The ,above featuresfobjeots .andad/antages of adjacent the intersectionis made a @esiti-ve operating section.

Aseparate timemeasuningmeansis preferably L- ;associated with each ,time .measurinssectium and :each such'meens is adjusted or an-Qperfaitien period which is'preselectedstoxagree withithetime consumed by fthe train tinftravelingethe .associated section et 1a predeterminedsped- Bash mf 5,5 higher. `Section 2T may `also be 880 Kf,eet. .in

.2 the time measuringmeans isaefrectineiy energized -fm' :operation thereof .through a n1-remt insludmg .a beck `.contenuof"the track ,relay .of thefassooiated .section so that eachtime measuring wenns is operated vwhiie a train is mowing through .that section. If a time measuring means comaiiies its movement indicating that stra-in is traveling atv a speedizbeiow V.the A:sneed `iiimit prescribed `im the l:respeens/.e *sect-ion; the Winning operati@ fsf thea-signal isiaeid Aabeyanee while the occupies :section .next towaidths intersectifn.. Inzthis fwayzzhe fat whisk-1:12138 W-anig QP- eration `ofthe signal is started is 'dependent imon the speed of the train.

1I shall `describe @ne .form @apparatus embsdyins my inventionfrandishau then point out `the novel ieatnres thereof fin The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic new showing 'one form of :apparatus embodying mir-invention.

:Referringtc the drawing, the reference char .aciers ,Je and bf-designate the track rails -,of .a .streth DI `track over which tracnormally moves in :thefdiiection indicated byan arrow and wllh :trackfis rintersected by `a highway H. Vfl'l'ie rail-s on the approach side of the highway areiormed -fby the usual insu-latedrail joints with :aser-ies of ..consecutive track sections IT, .-2T, 3T gan-.d 4'1., fandswhich track :sections `a train :traverses-4in the order :tenerse -to that named as it .approaches the highway. `-iiiacjfi of time track sections is pro- @vided -ivitha tif-ack circuit :including ,a :source Lo1 kcurrent.such as, for examples Vbattery honnected across the rai-1s 'at one end @fthe section isridfa tra-ck .relay 'designated plus a numeral-1 or .letter .corresponding to that of the section `.eonneotegi `across the rails at the :other .rend .of the eseetion. These track sectionsfare made. of predetermined `lengths which .are made to .agree with the maximum permissible speed for all trainsfand withthe manning-period of the ,highway czossinggfsignah l i .To einin the nnderstandi-ngnf the intention, sha-L1 assume i that the maximum permissible Asneed for all trains .is Sxniles #per hour .and that VKn ieper-indici .twenty seconds jmmr to lthe arrivai of a itrain ,at .the interseetion ,nominehghwaycrossingsignalis required. Un-

train speeds less .than .3,0 .miles .per ghourlthewamperiod .for F,the signal would uloe*.corxresporidingly between 30 and 60 miles per hour, the warning period of the highway crossing signal would bel v correspondingly increased but would notexceed;

40 seconds. Likewise, the section 3T may be 880v feet in, length and the three sections IT, 2TA andr Y 3T serve as a 60 to 90 miles per hour zone, because:` the combined length of the three sections is 2640:

feet and they provi-de seconds warningperiod for a train moving 90 miles per hour.` Section 4T is a measuring section andA it may-beef any suitable length and by way of illustrationl shalt` assume it is 880 feet in length. As will4 appear' hereinafter, the section IT is a positive operating section, and the operation of the signal is effected when a train occupies this section Whether the vtrain fis moving 'or not; Section 2T is an operating section,'and section 3T is a section used both asiameas'uring'section and as an operating section. f Section 4T as stated above is a measuring section.

Itfis Ato be understood, of course, that my invention Yis not limited to this one arrangement or track sections and a larger or a smaller number of sections may be used and the sections may be vof different lengths, the length of the sections being made to suit the train speeds andthe warning'fperiodof the 'signal atvthe particular location. iA`

A highway crossing signal S islocatedat the intersection, and this signal may be any one or a combination of the several types of such signals, `and`as'here shown it is anvaudiblesigna'l in the Vo'rrn of anelectric bell. The immediate control of the signal S is Velected through asignal control relayA EXR, the arrangement being such that when relay EXIF?,` is energized the bell S is silent, but that whentherelay EXR is deenergized and released `to'gcloseback contact IB an obvious circuitps completed and thel bell is energized Vto sound a warning. v vControl relay `EXR, is`governed through a line circuit Ahaving three alternative paths. The rst one of` these paths is that by which the relay is normally energized and extends from terminal B of a convenient source of current, such as a bat- ITB., checking contact I5 ofa relay ZETR, also to be referred to shortly, and winding of relay EXEt to terminal C of the source of current; A second path includes` terminal B,- front contact I6 `of track relay 2TR, front contact-I1 of relay IETR, wire I8, front contact I4 of relay ITR and as `previously traced for the firstpath.- `A third pathincludes terminal B, front contact I9 of relay'ITR, front contact 20ct relay 2ETR,wire 2l and winding of relay EXR. to terminal C.v It fol- `lows that when sections IT, 2T and 3TY are un'- occupied and each of the relays IETR and 2ETR is set at an initial position, the control relay Em vis energized.l Also, when section 3T is occupied to shunt track relay STR and the sections 2T and IT are not occupied,'relay EXR isenergized providing the relay IETR.v is operated to closethe contact I Tand'complete the'second branch path jofV the control circuit.v Again, whensection 2Ty is 'occupied` to shunt track relay 2TR, thec'o'ntrol 'n "Y n relay EXR is energized through the third path of the control circuit providing the relay 2ETR is operated to close contact 20. If section IT is occupied to shunt track relay ITR relay EXR is deenergized.`

Relays IETRl and 2ETlE?l are time lelement rei jlays. They are preferably alike in construction and may be ,any one of several types. Their construction maygbe, for example, similar to that disclosed inv Letters Patent of the United States No.

1 .1,965,965, grant-edgl'uly 17, 1934, to Branko Lazich wandHarryE. Ashworth, for Electric relays, except l 'as:tlie structurelisv modified to respond to recurrent or time spaced impulses. It is sufiicient for thisY application to point out that relay IETR, for ekample'fisfprovidcd with a clutch or holding windingj22, an operating winding 23 and a ratchet operated ,armature having three circuit controller contact'mernbers 24, 25Y and 26 attached thereto.

The arrangement is such that when clutch winding22 is deenergized, the armature falls by its own weight or by a bias to an initial position, that is,- to the positionwhere the contact members 24, 25 and 26 occupygthe positions illustrated in the drawing. In this initial position, the contact member 25 engages contact I3 to check the initial position of the armature. WhenV clutch winding 22 is energized, andthe operating winding 23 is suppliedrwith. time spaced impulses, the armature is operated in astep bystep movement away from the initial position` to an eXtreme orloperated position. In this movement contact member 25 disengages 'Contact I3 'immediately after the armature leaves'the initial position andlthe contact members 24 and 2B engage contacts IIand 2l,` respectively, only at the extreme" position. The number of Aimpulses required to complete such a movement is predetermined by an adjustment of the relay. Thus with impulses of a preselected frequency or code rate, the operating time of the relay'can be preselected. Y For example, if the impulses are of a rate of impulses per minute and the relay is adjustedto require 8 impulsesl tocomplete its movement, the contact members 24`and 26 engage their respective contacts I7 and 2'I in 10 seconds, this being the operatingtime indicated in the drawing. The connection for the operating winding 23 is Vopened at 'the extreme position to discontinue further movement of the armature and if the clutch or holding winding 22 remains energized thearmature is retained at Athis extreme position. It is to be noted that energization of the operating winding 23 4without energization ofthe clutch winding22y is l ineffective tooperatethe relay. Also the armature is restored immediately to the initial position from any intermediate position in the-event the clutch winding 22 becomes deenergizedf ,Y

The time element relay ZETR is similartorelay, IETR but/ it is adjusted to operate itsqoontact members28'and 29to closefcontacts 20jand30, respectively, inresponse' to 16 impulsesofa Y'75 code rate, thatis' itwcloses the'contactsin V20 seconds.- Contact member 3l ofthe relay-2E'I'R engages contact I5 to check-thc initial position of the relay. j i

Code impulses areV supplied` toithe operating windings 23 and 34 of the two time element relays throughy a continuously operating v.code transmitvter CT whichis voperatedto'close lits contact 32 at th`e code rate of "75 times 'per minute. ,'The circuit through whichvsuch code impulses are supplied extends'from terminal B 'of the vsource of current through contact n32 of coder CT, wire S t3, and the two operating "windings 23 and 3-4 in multiple to terminal C ofthe current source.

The clutch winding 22 of relay 'IETR is controlled by a line circuit having two alternative paths. A iirst circuit pathextends from terminal B through back contact -35 of track relay V'lIR of the` time measuring section `4T, frontcontact 3l of track relay STR and winding 22 of relay IETR to terminal C. The second path includes terminal B, front 'contact'luof relay IETR, front contact 38 lof track relay 2"'I'R and win-ding 22 to terminal C. It is to be seen, therefore, that when a train loccupies the measuring section 4T to shunt relay llTR 'closing back contact 35, and section 3T is unoccupied so that track relay STR is picked up closing front contact 3l, the time element relay *IETR is operated from its initial position toward its 'extreme position; If a train moves through the A'section 4T at a speed above 60 miles per hour Iand consumes less than 10 seconds in passing through the section and entering section 3T toshunt track relay STR, the time element relay {ETR is deenergized causing its armature to fall back from whatever position it l had' been advanced to the initial position. the train is moving at less than 60 miles per hour and consumes more than seconds in moving through thefsection Tso that the contact member 2S engages contact 2lV to complete the second path for winding 22, the relay is retained enersized at its extreme position after the train enters the section 3T and remains `at its extreme position until the train `enters the section 2T and shunts the track relay ZTR.

Similarly, the clutch winding `42 of time;` element relay ZETR is controlled through aline circuit having two branch paths. "a nrst one of which extends from terminal B through back contact 4l) of track relay 3TR, front contact lll of track relay 2TR and Aclutch winding t2 to terminal C; and a second 'one of which paths includes terminal B, contacta!) of relay ZETR, iront contact 43 of track relay ITR, winding 42 and terminal C. It follows that when a train occupies section 3T to shunt track relay STR closing back contact 4i), the time element relay ZETR yis operated from its initial position toward its extreme position. If the train is traveling at less than '30 miles per hour so that it consumes something over 'seconds in moving through section 3T, the time element relay ZETRis operated to its extreme position closing contact 3E] and the relay is retained energized'atits extreme position while the train travels the section 2T. Ir the train is moving "through 'section 3T at a speed above r36 miles per hour and consumes less than 20 seconds, then the time element relay ZETR is reset to `its initial position when the train enters the section 2T. The two time element relays IETR and ZETR -control alternative paths in the line circuit for the control relay EXR in the manner explained hereinbefore.

Assuming the apparatus to be normal, that is in the position illustrated in the drawing, and a train moving at 90 miles per hour approaches the intersection, the time element relay IETR is operated while this train moves through the measuring section 4T, but since the train consumes only a little over 6 seconds in moving through section 4T, the relay IETR does not complete its movement and is deenergized and restored to its initial position when the train enters the section 3T. When the train shunts the track relay 3TR to close back contact 40, the second time element relay 2ETR is operated but since 6 this train consume onlyabout 6 seconds in moving through the track section 3T, the relay ZETR. is 'deenergized and restored to its initial position when the train enters the section 2T to shunt track relay ZTR.

When the track relayBTR was released to open front contact IIA in response to the vtrain entering section 3T, `the control relay EXR is deenergized and initiates the warning Yoperati-on of the highway crossing signal S becauseneither one of the two alternative paths V.for the relay EXR is closed by the time element relays. Consequently, for this train traveling at miles per hour, the signal S is operated while the'train is moving through the 'three sections 3T, 2T and IT and a20 seconds warning period is effected.

Assuming a train vtraveling at a speed just under G0 miles per hour approaches the intersection, the `train consumes slightly over 10 seconds in traveling the measuring section 4T and the rst time element relay IE'IR completes its operation and is retained at its extreme position through the branch path including its own contact 26 when the train enters the section 3T. With relay IETR held at its extreme position, the control relay EXR is retained energized by the branch path through contact l1 of relay IETR, while `the train `occupiesthe section 3T. The second 'time element relay 2`E1Ris'set into operation when the train enters section 3T to shunt track relayfTR and close back contact fill. This train will consume only a little over 10 seconds in advancing through section 3T, Vand relay ZETR whose operating' period is T20 Vseconds is deenergized and restored to its 'initial position when the train lentersfsectifon jZTtoshunt relay ZTR. The release of relay Z'IR'opening'ront contact 21 causes relay lETR to be deenergized and restored to its initial position and` in turn causes the control relay EXR to vbe released 'to start the warning period o'f the highway crossing signal S. vSignal 'S is "thus operated while 'this train advances through sections Y2T and l'T and a warning period Iof substantially 2l) seconds is provided.

Assuming a train traveling just under 30 miles per hour approaclfies,A this train 'consumes alittle over 20 seconds in advancing through the measuring section 4T andthetim'eelement relay 'IETR is operated toits extreme position 'to close contact 2T so that it is 'retained energized while 'the train is in section BT. The relaylh'llR` in turn closes the second path ofithe line circuit, and relay EEG?, is retained energized. 'The-second time element relay ZE'IR is operatedtoclose its contact 3B `whi'le this train'advances .through the Ysection 3T v'since the 'train "will consume `a little over `20' seconds in traveling the section 3T. Relay ZE'I'R then is retained at "itsV extreme position when the train is in section 2T with the result the control relay EXE. is held energized while the train is in section 2T. When this train enters section IT to shunt track relay ITR, relay ZETR and the control relay EXR are deenergized, the release of the control relay causing the warning operation of the highway crossing signal. This train moving at little less than 30 miles per hour will consume slightly over 20 seconds in advancing through section IT to the intersection, and hence the warning period lof the signal is substantially 20 seconds.

Operation of the apparatus for a train traveling at any speed other than that explained hereinbefore will be apparent by an inspection of the drawing taken in connection with the descrpton of the operation of the apparatus for train speeds of 90, 60 and 30 miles per hour.

Although I have herein shown and described but one form of apparatus for the control of highway crossing signals embodyingmy invention, it is understood that various changes and modications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus-described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway at which a highway crossing signal is located; a rst, a second and a third track section'formed in the order named to one side of the intersection, each said section having a normally energized track relayra time element relay including a clutch winding, an operating winding and a contact actuating member; said time element relay operable to move said member from an initial to an extreme position in a predetermined time interval when said clutch winding is energized and Vsaid operating winding is supplied with time spaced current impulses, means including a coder to supply such current impulses to said operating Winding, means including a back contact of the track relay l of said third section and a front contact of the track relay of said second section to energize said clutch winding,v other means including a contact `of said time element relayrclosed at said eX- treme position and afront contact ofthe track relay of 'said rst section to energize said clutch Winding, and a control circuit having two alternative paths for governing said signal, a first one of said paths including a front contact of the track relay of each of said rst and second track sections and the second of which paths includes a front contact of the track relay of said iirst section and a contact of said time element relay closed only at said extreme position.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway at which a highway crossing signal is located; a first', a second, a third and a fourth section formed in the order named to one side of said intersection; each of said sections having 'a normally energized track relay; a rst and a second time element relay each including a clutch winding-an operating winding and a contact actuating armature; each of said time element relays operable vto move its armature from'an initial to an extreme position in a time interval individually predetermined for each relay when its clutch winding is energized and its operating winding is supplied with time spaced current impulses of a preselected frequency, means including a coder to supply such current impulses to said operating windings, means to energize the clutch winding of said rst time 8 element relay and including a rst path' through a back contact ofthe track relay of said fourth section and a front contact 0f the track relay of the third section and a second path through a front contact of the track relay of the second section and a contact of the iirst time element relay closed only at its'extreme position, means to energize the clutch winding of said second time element relay and including a rst path through a back contact of the track relay of said third section and a tfrontcontact of the track relay of the second section and a second path through a front contact of the track relay of the first section and a contact of the second time element relay closed only at its extreme position, and a control circuit for said signal including a front contact of the track relay of each of said first, second and third sections and having a rst alternative path through a contact of said rst time element relay closed at its extreme position to shunt the frontcontact of the track relay of the thir-d section and a second alternative path through a contact of said second time element relay closed at its extreme position to shunt the front contact of the track relay of said second section.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway at which .a highway crossing'signal is located; a iirst, a second and a third traffic controlled device spaced in the order named to one side of the intersection; each said device operable from a iirst to a second position Wh'en a train moves past the device; a time element relay including a clutch winding, an operating winding and a contact actuating member; said relayoperable to move said member from an initial to an extreme position in a preselected time interval When said clutch Winding is energized and said operating winding is supplied with time spaced current impulses; means including a coder connected to sai-d operating winding to supply such current impulses, a rst circuit including in series a second position contact of said third Vdevice and a first position r contact of said second device to energize said clutch Winding, a secon-d circuit including in series a contact of said relay closed at said extreme position and a rst position contact of said rst device to energize said clutch Winding, and a control circuit having two .alternative paths for governing said signal, a first one of said paths including in series a iirst position contact of each of said first and second devices and a second one of which path's includes in series a rst position -contact Vof saidrirstidevice and a contact of said time element relay closed only at said extreme position. Y

CARL F. LOWER. 

